Hollow
by Hime Temari
Summary: Because truth is always a matter of perspective. . . *Rewritten version of Waiting for Tomorrow*
1. Prologue

A/N: I told myself I should wait before uploading this story but I'm just dying to know what kind of response it will get. The following story is a rewrite of Waiting for Tomorrow. In essence, yes it is the same story, but at the same time it is completely different. At the time of initial writing I was much younger, and while I always recognized the complexity of the character I created, I did not have the knowledge or skills to understand how to best portray her. That being said, it is my belief that essentially the character Raina can probably never be portrayed by me. Attempting to confine her character within the boundaries of my own, limited perceptions would be a tragedy, and so I would like to suggest that you, the reader, allow yourself free reign in deciding who she is. Make your own deductions based on what you read into the story, rather than relying on me to provide the framework. Hence, because of my belief in an indefinable character, the story needed to be completely rewritten, using techniques that have proved to be quite challenging and sometimes difficult to accommodate. What you will now (hopefully) begin reading is the end result. The story will not be entirely according to canon, but I hope that in the spirit of free reading, you will suspend all notions on what must or mustn't happen, and just enjoy the story for what it is.

Prologue

Urahara Kisuke sat crossed-legged on a comfortable cushion just inside the open doorway of his shop, affording him a full view of any approaching customers while at the same time positioning himself right in the path of the gentle breeze that would occasionally sweep past. The stifling summer heat made itself apparent in the form of hazy air rising in waves from the dusty ground in the courtyard, and the cloudless sky was of a blue so deep that it almost hurt to look at. Kisuke fanned his hot, sweaty face with one hand while the other reached for the glass of ice tea Tessai had placed at his side a few minutes ago. Even though his pale blonde hair was damp with sweat beneath his green and white sandal hat, he left the signature piece in place, preferring its familiar weight. The interior of the shop was quiet, since all three his employees and constant companions were in the underground training facility, monitoring the progress of the group of teens that had come to him for help. They were a talented group of youngsters, of that there was no doubt, but in the face of recent events Kisuke wondered if their efforts would be enough, even when coupled with Soul Society's finest. Their enemy was indeed formidable, and more cunning than he had initially anticipated. His own over-confidence, along with Soul Society's stubborn refusal to see the truth in time had only succeeded in presenting their common foe with the opportunity he needed to gain one over them.

Kisuke's hand stopped fanning when his thoughts turned to the one person who might be able to tip the scales in their favour. The possibility of her joining their side was just as high as the possibility of her turning on them. Kisuke was well aware that she had been running away from this very situation for years, but with regards to the recent turn in events, there now lay a choice ahead of her, a choice he did not envy. It was the choice between turning traitor or pledging her loyalty – a choice between family and friends, between a brother and a lover. In spite of the many years he had known her Kisuke could not be sure she would make the right decision. The curse of her ability meant she lived on a moral knife edge, walking the thin line between good and evil. It was a wonder she had managed to stay neutral for as long as she had, if she had even been neutral to start with.

The sound of Kurosaki Ichigo's complaints of hunger reached Kisuke's ears even before Kisuke saw him, interrupting his reverie and turning his thoughts back to the youngsters currently under his tutelage. Shortly afterwards, heavy footfalls sounded behind him, and seconds later the boy himself flopped down beside the older shopkeeper, stretching out onto his back with a sigh.

"Hey Sandal-hat, when are we going to get some food around here? You can't have me training hours on end and not expect to feed me. I can't run on empty, you know," Ichigo stated matter-of-factly, folding his hands behind his head. Kisuke rolled his eyes, the small movement hidden by the shadow cast across the top half of his face from the brim of his hat.

"Do you think your enemy will stop to allow you a snack time whenever you demand it?"

"I'm not fighting an enemy now, am I?"

"If you continue to take your training in such a light manner, you will not be prepared when the time comes."

Ichigo grumbled something in response, but Kisuke's attention was drawn away by his sudden detection of an approaching entity.

"Looks like we have company," he announced, pressing his hat further down so that the top half of his face was almost completely obscured in shadow, hiding the concern that momentarily flashed in his eyes. Ichigo pushed himself into an upright position and squinted off into the hazy afternoon air. "Friend or –"

The need to complete his question was eradicated by the appearance of a group of Shinigami, clad in black despite the sweltering heat. Both Kisuke and Ichigo immediately picked out the head of the group in spite of his much smaller stature. The white-haired captain of the 10th squad, Hitsugaya Toushirou, carried himself with enough importance and authority to make up for his lack in height. Though he was youthful in appearance, the boy-captain was talented enough so as to inspire no doubts in his underlings regarding his ability to lead. Kisuke rose to his feet to greet the group, smiling easily and opening his arms in welcome. He noticed that the boy-genius was accompanied by not only his own vice-captain, Matsumoto Rangiku, but also by Abarai Renji from the 6th Squad and two members of the 11th Squad. The odd collection of Shinigami piqued Kisuke's interest, though Ichigo seemed to be more puzzled by their actual appearance in the real world than anything else.

Renji was the first the greet Ichigo, the two men firmly clasping hands in a display of the strong level of trust between them. Though they had started out as enemies, the two had eventually discovered a similar level of passion and ambition drove them both, not to mention their common fondness for a certain young lady. As a result of their shared interests, Renji and Ichigo became fast friends, each housing a vast level of respect for the other. Kisuke watched as similar greetings were passed around, the reunion ending off with Ichigo ruffling Captain Hitsugaya's spiky, white hair, which only earned him a fierce glare and a string of muttered threats from the boy captain. Intervening before a fight could break out, Kisuke quickly ushered his guests into the cooler living area behind the shop. Tessai, having heard the commotion out front, came out with a pitcher of the same ice tea Kisuke had been drinking earlier and offered everyone a glass. Once each person had been made comfortable around the low, round wooden table, Kisuke settled down to inquire after their sudden appearance at his shop.

"Hollow activity has spiked in the past few months," Hitsugaya proceeded to explain, his expression once more lapsing into the serious, controlled one he commonly wore when conducting business. "Soul Society decided to deploy a team in order to monitor their activity for anything unusual and also to try and slow down the enemy's plans. We were chosen." Kisuke had figured as much, but hearing the words spoken aloud only emphasised his earlier feeling of urgency. A general discussion ensued amongst the companions once formalities were out of the way, covering topics such as Ichigo's training, living arrangements for the group of Shinigami, and Soul Society's plans for dealing with the imposing threat at hand.

"Soul Society has lost three of its Captains – three Captains that know everything about Soul Society, including how we will react in battle. This will not be an easy fight," Renji pointed out near the end of the discussion. A sullen silence descended over the group, but it lasted for only a short while before Hitsugaya broke it.

"There was one more thing I hoped to discuss with you, Kisuke."

"What's that?" the shopkeeper asked with thinly veiled interest.

"It's about Raina."

Kisuke lapsed back into silence at the Captain's request, his amiable grin fading away at the mention of Raina. "I need you to tell me where I can find her," he continued, unperturbed by Kisuke's sudden change in demeanour. Kisuke stared at the boy for several uneasy moments before attempting to reply.

"It's not that simple, Captain Hitsugaya," was all he would offer after his lengthy silence, shrugging his shoulders to signal his inability to explain entirely.

"You are in contact with her, correct? You ought to be able to give me her location."

"Yes, but you must understand. You can only find Raina when she wants to be found."

"I'll take my chances. We need to know where she stands."

Kisuke opened his mouth to argue, but Ichigo leaned forward to interrupt. "I'm going to stop you right there and ask, who is this Raina woman?"

"A runaway Shinigami," Hitsugaya replied briskly, but his vice captain snorted in derision drawing everyone's eyes towards her.

"She's much more than just an ordinary runaway," she mumbled, flicking her hair back over her shoulder with one hand before folding her arms beneath her generous bosom. Ichigo tore his eyes away from the woman's dangerously revealing assets, his interest piqued by her vague response, and he straightened his lean upper body as though preparing for what was to come. It was obvious by the look in his eyes that he burned to ask more questions, but he pushed them all aside long enough to take advantage of the opportunity to make an observation.

"Regardless, why would you need to know where a runaway stands? Isn't it obvious, since she _ran away_?"

"With Raina there is no clear cut distinction between black and white, only shades of gray," Kisuke quickly replied, shaking his head to emphasize the complete mystery the woman in question presented.

"Okay, so what makes her so important that Soul Society needs to track her down?"

"Because of _who_ she is," the youthful captain explained with emphasis. "Her name is _Aizen_ Raina," he finished, his arms folding over his chest and the line between his eyebrows deepening. Ichigo's surprise could not have been more evident. He leaned forward with a wide-eyed look, his hands coming down hard on the round table.

"Aizen? Then she's related to that bastard Aizen Sousuke?"

"She is his sister," Kisuke confirmed in a quiet voice.

"How can you not know whose side she's on? Don't you think that's a little irresponsible?"

"The only person in the world who knows Aizen Raina's true intentions is Raina herself," Kisuke explained, fighting the urge to pinch the bridge of his nose in frustration. The name Aizen Raina was well known in certain circles of Soul Society, but no one seemed to understand who this girl really was. The stories about her grew more outlandish with each retelling, until the truth had faded into obscurity along with the woman herself. It was probably not all that far-fetched to say that only four people existed who knew the whole story, himself and Raina included; but even knowing what he did, Kisuke did not doubt that his version would differ in some ways from the others.

The incredulous look on Ichigo's face prompted Kisuke to continue before the teen could jump to any conclusions. "It's a long and complicated story."

Ichigo gazed into the older man's eyes, hoping to see some hint that he would divulge what he knew on this unknown Shinigami; all he saw, however, was a darkening of his eyes as they filled with reluctance. Instead, the youth turned his attention to the 10th Squad Captain, who still sat silently with his arms crossed.

"Tell me the story. I think it's necessary for us all to be on the same page if she's as important as everyone thinks."

The white-haired boy shook his head with a sigh. "I don't know much myself, only who she is and that she left many years ago. It's been speculated that she left because of guilt."

"I would too if I'd been involved with that two-faced scum," Renji added.

"You misunderstand, Abarai-kun. She left for many reasons, partly because of guilt, but mostly because she was confronted by a choice she did not know how to handle," said Kisuke.

Matsumoto suddenly sat erect. "How is it you seem to know so much about her?"

Kisuke smiled enigmatically, his usual, joking tone returning. "Let's just say I have my sources."

"Well come on Sandal-hat, you've got us all intrigued now. You might as well tell us."

Kisuke regarded each person around the table and noted the curiosity and general eagerness in each face. Perhaps, he thought, it would be better if people knew the truth. It might become imperative in the near future, considering the likelihood of her involvement. With a sigh he consented.

"Very well, but you must forgive me if I am unclear on certain details. This story started many years ago, before I was made a Captain. Aizen Sousuke was already a Shinigami, but none of us were yet aware of a younger sister, one who was being moulded and shaped exactly to Aizen's liking…"


	2. Chapter 1

one

The blazing midday sun baked down mercilessly upon the occupants of Rukongai, and yet the streets were lined with crowds of sweaty bodies all pressed together and eager to watch the procession of new recruits heading for the prestigious Shinigami Academy. An excited hum of voices filled the air, a few angry shouts rising above the general buzz as people tried to push their way to the front, only to be roughly shoved back into place. A fight or two had erupted as a result, the heat and the crowds working together to make people irritable, but at this point tempers had sizzled down in anticipation of the event that was moments away from taking place. Aizen Sousuke stood among the crowd, his black uniform setting him apart from the common folk. While the rest of the population fought amongst themselves for a decent spot, there was an empty space surrounding Sousuke, no one daring to brush up against him for fear of what the consequences might be. No one questioned why a Shinigami chose to stand with the filthy occupants of Soul Society's poorest district rather than march alongside his companions, but a few curious eyes turned his way for a brief moment before quickly looking away again. Breathing in the stench of sweaty bodies, Sousuke grimaced in disgust, having forgotten what Rukongai could be like in the years of his absence. Casting his gaze over the masses, he found himself once more imagining the changes he would bring about if he were ever to have the power.

_When _he had the power, he silently asserted to himself.

A sudden hush settled over the crowd, moving up from the left towards the right in a wave. In the distance, Sousuke could see the first of the Shinigami representatives appear on the dust road. Traipsing behind them would be the new, eager recruits. The procession reminded him of the time when he had been one of those eager-faced youths, preparing to step into the shoes of the legendary soul reapers, and how his raising of status had given him his first taste of power, awakening in him a ruthless craving for more – a craving that he had suspected was always there, but had been suppressed by his low situation. Naively, he had considered himself significantly higher up in the power pyramid, but the longer he spent in Seireitei, the more aware he became of the inadequacy the system in terms of how power was distributed. He may have been better off than when he had been living in Rukongai, but he was still too far down the chain to matter. There were too many voices for his liking, too many holes in the hierarchy, too many persons of inferior intelligence placed in positions superior to him.

Sousuke's reverie was interrupted when the man in front of him raised a child onto his shoulders, effectively blocking Sousuke's view while at the same time reminding him of the presence beside him – the only person brave enough to enter his space. Turning his attention to the little creature beside him, Sousuke was struck by how effortlessly it blended in with the rest of society. When compared to his neat and trim outward appearance, it was difficult to even state with certainty whether the mite was male or female. Yet female she was, and bonded to him through blood ties despite the detachment he felt when looking at her rough, wild appearance.

With mild amusement, Sousuke watched as the small, dark-haired girl at his side lifted herself onto the balls of her bare feet in a vain attempt to see past the people in front of her. A look of intense concentration mixed with frustration fixed itself onto her childish face as she subsequently gave up, reverting to finding some other means of seeing the street. While the other children were begging to be lifted up into the arms of a parent or guardian, Raina voiced no such desire, already knowing at her tender age that Sousuke disliked tremendously her usage of their blood bond as an excuse for being subject to any special treatment. Some small modicum of pride stirred in his chest at how quickly she had moulded herself to his wishes and desires, a flexibility that was most certainly entirely due to her age, but one against which he felt no disinclination of using to his liking. For as long as he cared to remember, Raina had been a part of his life – often unnoticed, but there nonetheless. Now he saw her as being potentially useful, his very own tool to use as he pleased. Sousuke's train of thought was once more broken by the actions of the child. Having firmly dismissed the idea of trying to see over the crowd, Raina resorted to kneeling on the dusty road, straining to spot the approaching procession of teens as they marched behind their soon to be superiors; yet from the way she quickly raised her upper body, Sousuke imagined that all she managed to glimpse through the forest of ankles and calves were several pairs of sandaled feet walking in a line on the otherwise empty road. With a grunt of frustration, the young girl leaned forward, searching for some way she could press through the throng and find a place near the front of the crowd. Before she could start crawling through the legs of the unfortunate man in front of her, Sousuke bent over and wrapped his large, firm hands around her small waist, effortlessly lifting her into the air and deftly seating her on his shoulders. Sousuke was quickly able to sense her uncertainty by the stiffening of her body and her sudden and complete silence. Turning his neck slightly, Sousuke addressed her concerns;

"I want you to watch carefully. Imprint the scene into your memory and make it your focus point in the years to come. I expect you to be in the group of new recruits in only a few short years. This is to be your goal, do you understand?"

His order, rather than making her uncomfortable, actually seemed to put her at ease, marked by the way her body relaxed and her leaning slightly forward to see as much of the procession as she could. She seemed too absorbed to remember to answer him, but Sousuke squeezed the delicate flesh of her thigh hard enough to remind her of his question, causing her to quickly respond in the affirmative sense.

"I have my own duties as a Shinigami," he continued, "and you know I cannot stay out here with you for long to monitor your progress. Still, you've received enough instruction from me to survive and continue improving on your own." Raina did not reply to this remark, but Sousuke let it slide this time, having concluded his speech.

The noise of the crowd suddenly swelled as the procession passed them by, and Sousuke watched, no longer with awe and longing as he had once done, but with the same calculating vision he sensed his younger sister employ in the aftermath of his order. Though he considered her too young and inexperienced to share his true intentions with, Sousuke knew his sister held no illusions as to her role.

With the procession having passed and disappearing into the distance, approaching the gates to the inner sanctum of Soul Society with vigour and excitement, Sousuke raised his hands once more to grasp her waist before he lowered her back to the ground. Before her feet could land though, he stopped, holding her close to his chest so he could speak to her without drawing attention from any of the surrounding people.

"You have the potential to be my greatest tool, Raina. Do not let me down."

Despite his fairly pleasant smile, Sousuke felt the shudder than ran through her body and was satisfied. She said nothing in reply, but he did not expect it. The moment her feet touched the ground, Sousuke was moving through the crowd away from her, not bothering to bid her farewell. For a brief moment, he contemplated glancing back at her, knowing full well she was watching him go. Perhaps he was being too hard on her, especially considering her age; but almost as quickly as the thought had come, it left. He did not feel bound by the morals and conventions that society forced down their throats. He had come to realise long ago that those things didn't matter when you found yourself at the bottom of the proverbial food-chain so to speak. Living in Rukongai before becoming a shinigami had taught him as much. Though the place disgusted him now, Sousuke knew he owed the development of his natural abilities to deceive and manipulate to the circumstances in which he grew up; and the longer he and Raina were separated, the more he saw those same abilities develop in her as a result of her having to rely on nothing but herself to survive.

The guilt at abandoning his sister never crossed his mind again.

The changing of seasons marked the passing of years, though despite this quite obvious outward change, very little else fell under the same effect. Time's ever-swinging scythe had little effect on the occupants of Soul Society, living outside the organising principles of the human world as they did. Whether three years had passed or ten since his last visit, Sousuke saw no difference in Rukongai upon his arrival. The shabby buildings and poorly constructed taverns seemed frozen in place, free from rot and decay, though not immune to destruction as a gaping hole in the side of a bar from a recent brawl testified. Sousuke examined each building on the narrow street in turn, not because he found them interesting, but because he needed something to look at as he silently passed the time. Dark grey clouds had steadily accumulated throughout the morning that day, and the arrival of the afternoon brought with it the promised rain. The torrential downpour meant the streets were empty of the usual bodies going about their daily business. Despite the fact that he was soaked to the bone, Sousuke smirked to himself as he quietly continued counting down in his mind. Raina's head start was almost up, and as he reached closer to zero, Sousuke started listening for any sounds that might rise above the noise of the water pounding against the wooden structures lining the streets, thus betraying her whereabouts. With her time up, Sousuke began tracking the faint but still traceable trail of energy she left behind. Though he had been pleased by the silence of her movements, he was disappointed by the unmistakable trail she had left.

Taking to the roofs to avoid the mud, Sousuke raced across the clay tiles, unperturbed by their slipperiness. He traced the zigzagging path his sister had taken which lead into the very heart of the settlement, where the shacks were cramped and crowded to such an extent that they offered numerous nooks and crannies in which a child of her size could hide. Sousuke shook his head in disappointment, his wet locks spraying forth their own mini shower of moisture. It might have been a good place to hide had she been more careful about suppressing her _reiatsu _as he had taught her. Pausing a moment, Sousuke sought to pinpoint the source of the energy trail; he was surprised, however, when he felt the trail suddenly go cold and disappear altogether. Stiffening, Sousuke scanned the empty streets below while he strained to locate his sister's familiar energy. It was a few seconds before his mind realised what had happened, and he could not help but emit a low, amused chuckle. He had underestimated her level of shrewdness; Raina had managed to lay a false trail and lead him on a wild goose chase while she subsequently slipped off somewhere else to hide.

"Very clever, Raina," he praised beneath his breath, but a second later he became aware of a soft pulse of _reiatsu _coming from somewhere in the woods just beyond the outskirts of the township. Had it been anyone else but him, they might have missed it; but Sousuke was particularly apt at picking up on others' presence, and he turned in the direction of his sister's energy. It did not take long before the shabbily built houses and shops began to thin out until abruptly he left the town entirely. The silence of the woods, save for the gentle patter of rain against the upper-most leaves, surrounded him almost immediately after his stepping into the area. Sousuke was grateful for the shelter provided by the tall trees, pausing a moment to remove the water from the lenses of his thick-rimmed glasses. He also used the opportunity to scan for the pulse of energy he had sensed earlier. This time around he was more satisfied with results of her suppression, but almost as quickly he pushed those feelings of satisfaction aside, unwilling to linger on the positives for too long. She would never learn if he praised her; her rapid progress was entirely due to his relentless pushing, and well he was pleased by it, he would never admit it to her.

It did not take long for Sousuke to find her. Taking advantage of the situation, he raced past her hiding spot, only to silently double back and scale the tree he knew her to be hiding in. His stealth paid off, and moments later he witnessed the leaves at his feet rustle with movement before a brown head poked out from beneath a layer of green foliage.

"Looking for something, Raina?"

Startled by the sudden and unexpected voice, Raina lost her balance. Sousuke watched as her body gave way beneath her, but she had just enough time to grab onto the branch with her hands, halting her sudden descent. She tilted her face up towards him, her eyes silently pleading, but she only managed a brief glimpse into his hard, dark eyes before her aching fingers gave in and gravity took its toll. Down she went, and though she tried to land as gently as possible, her small body still sustained a few bumps and bruises. From his elevated position, Sousuke stared at the crumpled heap below, waiting to evaluate her reaction to the fall. He did not tolerate weakness, especially in her. She knew this, and rather than show him her tears of pain, Raina remained motionless for a few moments, hiding her face in the crook of her arm. Smiling, Sousuke jumped down to stand before her. Lifting herself from the ground, Raina dusted off her dirty, scraped hands against her clothing, and when she finally raised her eyes to him, he noted from the hard glint in her opaque orbs that her pain had been transformed into righteous anger. A smug grin tugged at the corners of his mouth and he shook his head disappointedly. His reaction to her injuries stirred something in the child.

"You could have helped me," she snapped, trying to avoid wincing as she straightened her body. A small trickle of blood from her scraped knee dripped down the side of her leg, but she ignored it.

"You wouldn't have learned a lesson if I had," Sousuke pointed out calmly.

"And what lesson would that be?" she asked, struggling in vain to mask the bitterness in her voice.

"You should have been able to sense my presence behind you, but because you neglected to pay closer attention, you injured yourself. Unless you learn to pay closer attention, you will not survive. As you are now, any enemy could catch you off guard," he responded, unperturbed by her anger. The girl pushed out her lower lip in a childish display of her disappointment, a trait that could only be attributed to her youth; her gaze seemed to suggest that he should feel some modicum of responsibility towards protecting her, but Sousuke was beyond treating her as a child.

In the three years that had passed since he had put the goal of entering the Shinigami Academy into her head, Raina had grown a bit taller, though she was still much shorter than him. The plump curve of her cheeks gave her face a babyish quality that, in addition to her small stature, made her come across as a child of roughly 11 years of age. Time meant nothing in their world. It passed with little effect, so her actual age was lost on him. Yet there was a seriousness in her eyes that, when observed side by side with Sousuke, would easily highlight the many similarities despite the apparent physical difference in age. Both had the same angular features, hazelnut eyes and dark brown, wavy hair. Sousuke wore his hair short, with his fringe hanging low over his forehead. His messy hairstyle, coupled with his black-rimmed glasses gave him the look of someone quiet, bookish, and amiable. To the general public, this is exactly how he presented himself; only Raina knew that another, darker ego existed beneath that pleasant face.

Raina's hair was only a bit longer than his, almost touching her shoulders, but much wilder in appearance, mostly left untended. She normally looked the part of a Rukongai occupant, but Sousuke found that wetting her hair as in this instance, where the rain had thoroughly soaked her head, brought out that natural kink that somehow made her seem more presentable. As he continued to stare at her, a droplet of water dripped from her fringe, landing on her nose and making her twitch. She roughly wiped at the moisture with her forearm, determined not to break her gaze away from her brother. Reaching into the folds of his garb, he withdrew a small pouch and lightly tossed it to her.

"What's this?" she asked, catching it.

"Clean yourself up. We wouldn't want you drawing unnecessary attention."

She gingerly lowered herself to the ground, first-aid kit in hand, and set about cleaning her wounds. Sousuke moved towards the tree and sat down with his back leaning against it, watching as she worked.

"Do you understand your purpose, sister?"

His question prompted her to pause in her task and lift her gaze as she steeled her resolve, no doubt sensing the lecture that was to come.

"Yes."

"What is it?"

"To be useful to you."

"Correct." Sousuke removed his glasses and began slowly cleaning the lenses on his _hakama_. "But you still have a long way to go in terms of surviving a battle. What you do have, however, is a talent for remaining unseen." He paused now, narrowing his eyes slightly. She remained silent, her eyes taking on a strange quality; they appeared both empty and determined at once.

"You may be able to fool ordinary folk," he admitted with a light shrug of his shoulders, "but you cannot fool a Shinigami – yet."

Raina went back to work on her wounds, showing no signs that she was fully paying attention to his words. Her nonchalant attitude would have irritated him had he not been the one to teach it to her through example.

"I thought, perhaps, that you should put yourself to the test."

"What kind of test?"

Sousuke smiled, leaning his face towards hers. "Are you certain you feel up for it? This won't be easy." He was teasing her, feeling out her levels of confidence and wit. He had a way of testing people based on their responses. A quick response on her part would illustrate confidence, but a lack of intelligence, as no rational person would feel certain about something on which they have no details. Sousuke waited, anxious to know how she would respond.

"That depends on what you are proposing," she replied. Sousuke's eyes lit up with pleasure at her response. Though she was still young, he had always taught her the value of planning ahead and preparation. Her answer illustrated that she had considered this, and he felt she was one step closer to being as formidable as he intended.

"I want you to sneak into Seireitei."


	3. Chapter 2

two

The solid clash of wood against steel was the only sound to be heard in the vast courtyard of the Kuchiki mansion, disturbing the usual peace and quiet. Young Byakuya raised his arms for another attempt, but his opponent had disarmed him before he could react.

"Again," his grandfather instructed, stepping back to wait. Byakuya bent to retrieve his fallen weapon and raised it in front of him, moving his feet into a stance that allowed him more stable footing. Before the old man could give the signal to start, Byakuya rushed at him with a yell of determination. Ginrei inwardly sighed at the boy's rashness, and in a few short blows, his grandson lay at his feet, breathing heavily at the exertion.

"You are too rash, Byakuya. It is your biggest flaw. Stand up."

"This is pointless. I'm fighting with a measly wooden swordwhile you're using your _zanpakutou_. I should be using a real sword, like you," Byakuya argued while rising to his feet and dusting off his clothes. His grandfather shook his head, his already solemn face somehow becoming even more so.

"You are not ready to hold a real weapon. A Shinigami's _zanpakutou _is merely an extension of their power. You must first master your own heart before you can hope to master your true power. You do that by learning discipline, composure and inner strength."

Byakuya listened with mild impatience, having heard this speech before, but never quite understanding what his grandfather was trying to prove. Kuchiki Ginrei was not only head of the clan, but also Captain of the 6th squad of the Gotei 13. Byakuya was being trained to follow in his footsteps, but though his intentions were towards the achievement of that goal, it felt as though he was not getting any closer. A sense of failure was ever looming in the back of Byakuya's mind, quick to raise its head when he was reminded of the weight of his responsibilities.

Ginrei, seeing the pensive but frowning look on his grandson's face, suggested they take a break and pick up again after lunch.

"I have some work to do at the barracks, but I'll be back later and we can continue."

Byakuya said nothing, watching as his grandfather walked off towards the house, disappearing inside. Anger at himself and his weakness welled up inside his chest when thoughts of how little he was able to put up a fight against his grandfather crossed his mind. He was Kuchiki Byakuya, heir to the Kuchiki clan. He would bring disgrace to his family should he fail in his journey to becoming strong enough to captain a squad.

A new thought suddenly crossed the young boy's mind, lighting his youthful features with a determined colour, and he darted inside the house, discarding his wooden practice sword somewhere along the way for the servants to retrieve later. He hurried through the wide corridors, passing several unused rooms before he reached his grandfather's private bedroom. Making sure none of the servants were around to act as witnesses, Byakuya slipped inside and immediately began searching for the short sword his grandfather kept for emergencies. Finding the weapon conveniently hidden behind the small shrine dedicated to his parents, Byakuya strapped the lacquered sheath to his side and snuck out once more. If he could not use a real _zanpakutou_, then at least he could settle for the next best thing. That the weapon had a real blade already made much of a difference in his mind.

Byakuya returned to the courtyard, but no sooner had he reached his usual training spot that he began to doubt his choice of location. It might not be such a good idea to practice with a real blade in full view of any of the servants. They might tell on him to his grandfather. Frowning, the youth scanned the rest of the courtyard while thinking of a new location. While the Kuchiki estate boasted a large, expansive garden, there was nowhere he felt comfortable enough to do what he wanted. In the end, he decided it might be best to go into the woods that lay near the edge of the family's land. He would be far enough from the mansion to practice unseen while still remaining on the property. Having decided thus, Byakuya left the house. No one thought to question him, though one servant did mention that lunch was ready. Byakuya brushed the servant aside, assuring her he was not hungry, and hurried on in the general direction of the woods, his hand resting on the hilt of the short sword as though he could somehow hide it from view. Only a section of the woods rested on the Kuchiki's property, but Byakuya spared little thought for the crossing of property boundaries. Instead, he marched through the woods, searching for an open enough area where he could train. After wandering aimlessly for a few minutes, he happened across a small glade and stopped, deciding this was the perfect location. Running a hand through his raven black hair, his ash-mauve eyes gave a cursory sweep of the glade, satisfied with what he saw or didn't see. The weight of the weapon at his hip reminded him of his goal, instilling in him a sense of purpose. Moving to the centre of the glade, he closed his eyes in concentration, focusing on the sound the blade made as it slid from its lacquered sheath, on its heaviness and the strain it caused on his small arms. For reasons he could not fathom, the _wakizashi_ came to represent the responsibilities that came with his name – with being of noble birth. It suddenly seemed as though the expectations of his family were compressed into the cool steel of the short sword, and he realised that the heaviness of those expectations would only increase with age, directly proportional to the increasing weight and length of his sword as he progressed.

It dragged him down, and Byakuya – without having even lifted the weapon – sagged to the ground, his arms going limp but with his grandfather's sword still tightly grasped in his hand.

"Why didn't you draw your sword?"

The boy started at the sound of a voice somewhere close to his ear and sprang to his feet, his head nearly colliding with the intruder's as he did. Taking several steps back, Byakuya held his breath as his eyes took in the appearance of the intruder, staring curiously at the odd girl hanging upside-down from the tree beneath which he had been sitting. He had not even noticed her presence until now, a fact that disturbed him for a moment or two. The girl tilted her head quizzically to the side as though he were the one hanging upside-down, unconcerned with the fact that the hem of her tattered tunic was slowly slipping down, baring more of her legs by the second. She seemed to shrug – though he could not tell for sure from that angle – before unhooking her legs and falling to the ground. Before she could fall on her head however, she twisted her body and nimbly landed on her bare feet. Turning now to face him, she folded her arms across her chest.

Byakuya took a moment to size her up. She really was a strange, wild-looking girl. She had dark, wavy hair that fell in a tangled mess around her face, resting on her shoulders. Her eyes were hazelnut in colour, but so solemn so as to make her seem older than she looked. Her features were angular, but fine enough so that at first glance, she seemed rather pleasant. Her body, however, had a boyish look to it befitting her youth – flat-chest with no curves; yet the muscles in her arms and legs showed some signs of development. Her legs were long and skinny, making her body seem even more oddly shaped. In short, she wasn't very appealing.

"Who are you?" he demanded, straightening to his full height, which was only a few centimetres taller than her. The girl smiled, showing off a row of even, white teeth. At least her smile was pretty.

"I should be asking you that. This is my spot." The crease on his forehead deepened. For a moment he tried to calculate how long he had walked to reach this spot to give him some indication as to how far from the border he was. From what he came up with, it was most likely that he was no longer on Kuchiki land.

"I don't recall this being part of any private property."

"Oh it's not," she replied confidently, but offered no proof to back her claim of ownership or lack thereof. Wary, Byakuya tilted his head to the side, regarding her clothing with narrowed eyes. She was not dressed in Shinigami garb, and she was too young to be a student at the Academy. The only logical conclusion was that she came from Rukongai, yet that was impossible. She could not have entered the heavily guarded gates unseen.

As though sensing his train of thought, her smile turned into a smirk and she stepped closer to him, extending her hand.

"I'm Aizen Raina."

He glanced down at her hand, the corner of his mouth twitching slightly in mild disgust.

"Kuchiki Byakuya," he replied, not even bothering to accept her hand in greeting. He raised his eyes to see her reaction to his name, but there was no look of recognition on her face. Normally when people heard his name, they either adopted a fake air of authority so as to seem equal to him, or became grovelling idiots trying to win favour with him. She did neither. All she did was stand there, staring at him as though seeing into his soul. It left him feeling exposed.

"Don't you know who I am?" he asked with frustration, trying to make his voice sound deep and serious like his grandfather's while disguising his offence at her feigned ignorance and discomfort at her probing gaze.

"Of course. You just told me who you are," she answered, raising her eyebrows in surprise, as though he had just asked a stupid question. Byakuya seethed with anger. She was effortlessly making him feel like a fool with her teasing and defiance. He opened his mouth to issue a well deserved threat, but she beat him to it.

"What were you doing anyway?" she asked with what appeared to be genuine curiosity. If she had noticed the look of rage in his eyes, she obviously was not going to let it stop her. Byakuya felt some of his anger melt away by the air of innocence that surrounded her, replaced by frustration. He prided himself on being able to instantly tell what people were thinking, or what their motives were, but this girl was an enigma. At first he had thought she was secretly mocking him, but now he wasn't so sure anymore. There did not seem to be any ulterior motive behind her words. Even so, he would not let his guard down yet.

"If you must know, I was training."

"Training?" She seemed genuinely surprised. "What sort of training requires you to stand in one spot and not do anything?"

He ground his teeth, searching her face for any sign of criticism, but there was none. Her eyes showed nothing but innocence and blunt honesty.

"I was going to, but you interrupted me!" Oddly, the look she gave him made him feel bad for putting the blame on her when all she had been doing was pointing out the obvious, but he could not very well let her know what he had been feeling before she first addressed him.

"Are you too weak?" she asked, her tone of voice changing from youthful curiosity to ageless wisdom, and for a split second Byakuya saw her eyes soften with understanding. There was no hint of taunting, no sign of callousness or haughtiness. It was unfathomable how this girl could know anything about his situation, yet there she stood, speaking with an understanding that could only come from a similar experience. His eyes locked onto hers, and all hostility melted away as the wildness faded from her appearance and he saw, if only for a moment, the kindred spirit that lay beneath. Before he could recover enough from his shock to respond, she had stepped closer to him, closer to his clenched hand that held onto the sword. Onto the expectations.

Reaching out, she closed her hand around the naked blade. He should have protested to this; it defied logic and rationality – everything his grandfather stood for. But Byakuya understood what she was doing, saw her wordless acknowledgment. Slowly he raised his arm, feeling the lightness of the weapon in his hand now that she was sharing the weight. The mystery of their wordless connection intrigued Byakuya long enough to forget for a moment his initial annoyance, but a moment later her face split into a smile that brought him out of his trance.

"I am _not_ weak," he affirmed. As if sensing his intent, the girl quickly released her grip on his sword before his tug could draw blood. The wildness returned – both in her outsides and in his insides. Sheathing his weapon, the Kuchiki heir made as if to leave.

"I'm sure we'll meet again, Kuchiki Byakuya," she called to him before he disappeared into the surrounding trees. Disgusted with himself and with the strange girl, he stomped off a few meters. Each step calmed him, and he slowed to a stop, turning to look back over his shoulder. He could still see into the clearing from where he was, but there was no sign of the girl. Intrigued and alarmed, he snapped his head from side to side, searching the thicket for signs of movement, straining his ears to hear the crunch of undergrowth beneath her bare feet. There was nothing except a save monastic silence that puzzled him to annoyance. With a brush of his hand, he pushed his encounter with the girl from his mind and started off for home.


	4. Chapter 3

Three

Young Byakuya trudged through the foliage and stepped over the fallen logs littering the woodland floor, trying to find his way back to the glade he had accidentally stumbled across the previous day – the same glade where he had met _her_. He was annoyed with himself for even _thinking_ about her, yet alone hoping to see her again. She was a curious person, who seemed to have affected him in ways he couldn't understand, and it made him go in search of her against his better judgment. The concern that she may be a potential threat had entered his mind almost immediately after meeting her, but what prevented him from mentioning her to his grandfather was the fact that she was just a girl. Still, getting into Seireitei was no small feat, and that was what bothered him. She may be more capable of causing trouble than her appearance betrayed. Both in him and in Soul Society.

The trees thinned out abruptly before him, and Byakuya came to a halt in the glade, his grey eyes scanning the open area for any sign of the girl. There was none; of course he should have known better than to expect anything at all. Byakuya felt foolish for going in search of her in the first place, and muttering to himself, he turned to leave.

Aizen Raina stood behind him, a knowing smile on her plain face. "What are you looking for?"

"Nothing!" he snapped, angry that he had not noticed her coming up behind him. Her smile widened ever so slightly, but with a resigned look in her eyes she shrugged.

"Very well." Raina moved to pass by him, walking across the clearing to the opposite end.

"Wait," Byakuya called, already feeling the same frustration he felt yesterday returning in full force. Raina stopped, then slowly turned to face him, waiting in silence for him to speak his mind.

"Who are you?" he asked, his hand coming up to rest on the _bokken_ strapped to his hip. He had been scolded for taking the short sword yesterday, but he felt he needed to carry a weapon during his meeting with the girl. There was something in her eyes he did not trust, something in the way she looked right through him.

"I already told you who I am. My name is Raina."

"Yes but where did you come from?"

"Rukongai," she replied without hesitation, her wide eyes as innocent as a doe's. Byakuya's lips parted in surprise, and for a few seconds he was too shocked to speak. It was the most unlikely response and had the least credibility. Surely she could have come up with a better story.

"That's impossible," he finally said, shaking his head.

"Why?"

"Because no commoner could get past the gate guardians."

"I did." Again she refused to expand on her words, offering no explanation. Byakuya paused, considering what she may be implying through her silence. Granted, the gate guardians were not the smartest of people, and she was probably small enough to escape their notice, but that still left another problem.

"What about the Shinigami? You could not have gotten all the way here without them noticing your presence." Raina grinned, her eyes lighting up with laughter. For a split second, Byakuya found himself thinking she could be quite pretty, but that was quickly pushed to the back of his mind when she moved. Raina slowly walked to the nearest tree, laughing in a taunting manner as she slipped behind it. Byakuya followed, coming to a standstill on the opposite side. Raina's head poked out on one side.

"You didn't," she pointed out with that teasing grin still in place. Though it angered him to admit, she had a point. She was uncommonly skilled with masking her presence.

"Why are you here? What sort of trouble are you trying to cause?"

Her face disappeared, reappearing on the other side again. "I'm not here to cause trouble, Kuchiki Byakuya. You know that."

"How can you be so sure?" he asked, raising one of his eyebrows sceptically.

"If you really believed that, you would have told on me. Not a single Shinigami has appeared to search the woods since our meeting yesterday."

Byakuya took a step backwards and drew his wooden weapon, holding it up in front of him.

"I could always do so now." The smile faded from Raina's face, and she slowly stepped out from behind the tree, all playfulness disappearing from her countenance. She held her hands out at her side, appearing in that moment completely defenceless, stepping out from behind her walls in the same way as she had stepped out from behind the tree.

"Do you want the truth, Kuchiki Byakuya?" She waited until he had nodded before continuing. "I came here because of expectations. You understand that, don't you?"

The hilt of the sword.

The grip of his hand.

The weight of the weapon.

Byakuya considered her response for some time. There was nothing that smelled of deceit in her words, yet still he felt uneasy.

"I'll fight you." For once, it seemed he had managed to surprise her.

"And then what?"

"If you win, I won't report you."

"And if you win?"

"Then you have to show me how you manage to sneak around the way you do."

The smile returned, and she nodded her consent. "Agreed."

Byakuya unstrapped the spare wooden sword he carried and tossed it over to Raina. He had intended to challenge her from the beginning, but Byakuya would never fight an unarmed person, hence the additional weapon. He had not given much thought as to the conditions of the fight, but then they had never mattered in his mind. All he wished for was to prove himself to her after yesterday's embarrassing display, to hide from her his heart's weakness. Raina bent over and retrieved the weapon, holding it in front of her in a similar fashion to Byakuya.

"Are you ready?" he asked, shifting his stance.

"Ready," she responded.

"Then let's begin."

The sun rose higher in the intensely blue sky, marking the passing of time. Time, however, meant nothing to the two youngsters sparring in the glade. Having been at it for longer than they cared to think about, with neither having gained an advantage over the other, the two parted. Breathing heavily, Raina lowered her makeshift weapon with a light chuckle.

"It seems we'll have to call this one a tie."

Byakuya did not much like the idea of giving up, but he recognized a losing battle when he saw one. What she lacked in strength, Raina made up for in speed. Byakuya had neglected his _Shunpo _training in the last while, focusing more on strength. As a result of his increase in muscle mass, he had slowed down. So while he would easily have defeated her in that aspect, he could not catch up to her. Still, even while he thought this, his lips were saying something else.

"We will never reach a resolution if we stop." One of them would eventually wear out and give in; he only hoped it would be her. Every muscle in his body cried out in exhaustion, and even his breathing was becoming as laboured as hers, but he forced himself to continue.

"I'll still teach you to mask your _reiatsu_," she offered, dropping her weapon and moving to the nearest tree, automatically assuming he would agree. He scoffed at her insolence, but lowered his weapon anyway. He would not attack a defenceless person – he had his pride. At the same time, the thought that he had every right to consider her resignation as his win crossed his mind, though deep down he knew he was somewhat pleased that he did not have to report her. If was completely honest with himself, he had enjoyed their little sparring match. There were not many people his age who would agree to a fight with the venerable Kuchiki Byakuya. Raina on the other hand seemed little impressed with who he was, and in actuality, it was refreshing.

Byakuya collapsed against a tree opposite Raina, though he tried to hide his exhaustion. She was sitting with her head tilted back, strange eyes staring up at the sky, giving him a chance to freely examine her. Sensing his gaze, Raina lowered her eyes to meet with his, but Byakuya quickly tore his gaze away, hoping she had not detected the hint of embarrassment in his expression at being caught staring.

"We should do this more often, Kuchiki Byakuya. You are very good."

Her compliment caught him off guard, and while he felt flattered, he also felt wary.

"And you irk me," he admitted harshly, though he was only half serious. Her expression transformed into one of shock, but it melted away as quickly as it had appeared when she suddenly started laughing.

"I apologize if my honesty offends you, but it is probably because you are so proud, and you have a bit of a temper," she added when she saw his cheeks flush with anger. Byakuya tried to think of some names to call her, but could come up with nothing that seemed adequate. Despite how much he seemed to know about her already, in reality there was very little he knew. He could call her a liar, but she could indeed be telling the truth. He could call her ugly, but the more he looked at her, the less oddness he saw in her features. Noting his lack of response, Raina continued.

"But just because I recognize you are an ill-tempered, haughty aristocrat, doesn't mean I like you any less."

Somehow, in spite of the fact that twice now she had pointed out his flaws, Byakuya was pleased by her words. There was just something about her that he liked too, though he would never admit it in a million years.

Rising from the ground, Byakuya turned to go.

"You're leaving?" Raina asked, leaning forward but refraining from rising.

"Yes," he snapped.

"Alright. See you tomorrow!" she called while waving. He scowled at her and as he stalked off in the general direction of the Kuchiki mansion, he determined not to return to this spot again.

His resolve, however, did not last longer than a day.


End file.
